something dumb and over my head

If you're looking for information about the ride for Sunday June 16, click here.

Today was a great day to go to the shore. Laura OLPH had a ride posted: 100 miles from her house; about 85 from Mercer Park; about 68 from Etra and back.

Now, Tom H told me something last year about riding a century. He said, "I've never gotten 80 miles into a ride and said, 'Y'know what I really need right now? Another 20 miles'". So I don't do 100-mile rides. I first thought I'd do the 68 from Etra... but then I figured I'd try the 80-plus.

When I told The Excellent Wife (TEW), sh pointed out that the winds were supposed to get bad, and it would probably mean a headwind on the way back.

Sometimes you have to do something dumb and over your head.

I got to Mercer Park early, got set up and rolled around for a bit... and then Marty G, the photographer fellow, drove in. Shortly thereafter, Ricky G and Laura rolled in to pick us up.

From there, we headed over to Etra, where we met Tom H (the fellow I quoted earlier) and Jack H. Jack's recovering from a foot injury; he's supposed to have a boot to protect and immobilize the foot. You can see what a cooperative patient he is.

Tom wasn't planning to ride with us the whole way, but he came along about until somewhere after the Manasquan Reservoir, when he went his own way,

At the Manasquan Reservoir:

(This is out of order, but you need to see this picture of Ricky rockin' the very excellent PFW Event cycling cap:)

We got to Belmar, to find that our usual stop, TJ's, has been transformed into a stupidly-expensive burritos and tacos place, with no toilet available.

Alas.

Establishment shots. We really were at the shore; there is honest-to-goodness ocean in the background.

And back. The wind, which had been a tailwind most of the way in, was now a headwind most of the way back. As Laura has reminded me: do you know what riding into a headwind is good training for? It's good training for riding into headwinds.

We stopped at a Dunkin Donuts in West Freehold.

... and then fought the wind the rest of the way back to Mercer Park. Marty and I had just under 85 miles, and while I packed up the bike stuff, he rolled around to get the odometer over 85.

I'm leading a 35-mile ride tomorrow, if the weather holds. My aching legs will not be disappointed if we get rained out. Just sayin'.

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